The development of Crowtrees Colliery in County Durham began in the 1780s. Originally, the colliery mined coal close to the surface and then sold it on locally. However, in the early 19th century the colliery was changed dramatically under its new owner William Hedley. Hedley invested a large sum of money in the colliery which allowed for a new pit to be built to the north-east of the early colliery. This phase II colliery was quite short-lived, however, and had been mostly demolished by the late 1860s. The third and final phase of the colliery was when J.W. Morrison is thought to have sunk a new shaft to the south-west which allowed him to transport coal directly along the Clarence Railway from Crowtrees to West Cornforth.

The remains of the colliery and its various phases of construction are still visible today. The platform seen to the right is the only remaining part of the Phase 3 winding-engine house. The majority of the rubble-built outer shell no longer survives and the roof has been lost completely. As a rare example of a 19th century winding-engine house, the remains of the Crowtrees Colliery are considered to be of regional, if not national importance.